Power Ranking the Top 25 Players Early in the 2013 NHL Season

Each team has already played roughly 10 games this season, which means that the season is about 20 percent over.

With that in mind, here is an early season power ranking of the top 25 players of the season thus far. A player's past performance is not a major factor in compiling this list.

Keep in mind this is not just a list of the top 25 scorers in the league, although plenty of highly productive players are included. We have defensemen and goalies in this list, so overall performance is considered.

Also remember that these are the best 25 players this season so far. There are still nearly three months of hockey to be played. Some of these players will continue to shine, others are just off to hot starts and will fall back to the pack.

Here are the early season power rankings of the NHL's top 25 players (so far).

19. Tuukka Rask

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When Tim Thomas announced he was taking this year off, all eyes in Boston turned to 25-year-old Tuukka Rask.

The Bruins were expected to contend for another Stanley Cup, but that would be difficult without solid goaltending. Was Rask ready to show he was capable of assuming the mantle of being the number one man between the pipes?

The early returns are promising. Rask is 5-1-1 in his first seven games with a solid 2.10 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

Most importantly, Rask has come up big by making saves when his team needed him most.

If Rask keeps up this pace, the Bruins should be dangerous once the playoffs get underway this spring.

18. Cory Conacher

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cory Conacher has been the feel good story of the early season.

The 23-year-old native of Burlington, Ont. was never drafted. Instead he went on to star at Canisius College and then became a 39-goal scorer in the AHL.

At 5'8" and 180 pounds, Conacher doesn't have prototypical size. But in in his first eight NHL games, he has five goals and 12 points. Four of his points have come on the power play, and he already has a pair of game-winning goals.

Lightning Coach Guy Boucher has been impressed with his rookie and has put him on the top line. "What was exposed was his talent, his speed and quickness to react," Boucher said. "I like his grit. I like his relentlessness. He deserves it."

17. Tobias Enstrom

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Winnipeg defenseman Tobias Enstrom had a disappointing year last season and saw his point total drop by 18 over the previous season. Injuries limited the Swede to just 62 games.

This season, Enstrom is healthy and playing a strong offensive game. He has two goals and 11 points in his first eight games, and six of his nine helpers have come when the Jets were on the power play.

Winnipeg is relying on Enstrom to return to his 2010-11 form when he had 51 points. His play will be a key cog in the Jets' rebuilding program.

16. Vladimir Tarasenko

Vladimir Tarasenko is only 21, but the Blues' speedy Russian rookie is already making opposing players take notice.

Tarasenko has five goals and 10 points in his first eight NHL games, and one of his goals was a game-winner.

The NHL named Tarasenko the top rookie for January for his efforts.

The Blues had the league's third-best record last season but were just 21st in goals scored. A strong season by Tarasenko could boost the St. Louis offense and help the Blues make a deeper playoff run this spring.

15. Corey Crawford

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The Blackhawks were disappointed with the play of goalie Corey Crawford last season.

His GAA rose nearly half a goal per game to 2.72, while his save percentage barely topped .900. The result was an early playoff exit for a team that believes it can contend for another Stanley Cup title.

In the early part of this season, Crawford has found his 2010-11 form. He is off to great start, as are the Blackhawks, who are among the top clubs in the standings thus far.

Crawford himself is 5-0-2 with a .934 save percentage and a GAA of just 1.66.

If he continues to play this well, the Hawks should be strong contenders in the Western Conference this season.

11. Carey Price

Carey Price has been Montreal's best player the past several seasons, and the Habs are relying on the 25-year-old B.C. native to help them return to playoff contention.

Thus far, Price hasn't let his club down. In seven early season appearances, Price is 6-1-0 with a 1.70 GAA and a .938 save percentage.

The Habs are right on the heels of the Bruins in the Northeast Division thus far and need Price to continue carrying the team, if they hope to qualify for the playoffs in this lockout-shortened season.

5. Patrick Marleau

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Patrick Marleau was criticized for the way he finished last season, and his goal total dropped from 37 in 2010-11 to 30 in 2011-12.

This year however, Marleau is off to a red-hot start. In the first nine games of the season, the Aneroid, Sask. native has nine goals and 14 points. Marleau already has three game-winning goals, nearly half his total in 82 games a season ago.

Five of Marleau's goals have come on the San Jose power play, which is fifth in the league with a 26 percent conversion rate.

Many experts were starting to say San Jose was past its prime, but the way Patrick Marleau and company are starting the season, many of them have been forced to revise their opinions.

4. Martin St. Louis

Playing on a line with sniper Steven Stamkos doesn't hurt, but St. Louis has three goals and 14 points in eight games. He is also a plus-three, and half of his points have come when his team has the man-advantage.

The Lightning's offense has 39 goals in eight games, nine more then the next highest team. The strong play of Martin St. Louis is a big reason for the Bolts' early season success.

2. Steven Stamkos

Steven Stamkos led the NHL in goals last season with 60, 10 more than the nearest competitor.

This season, he's off to an even stronger start with seven goals and 16 points in just eight games. Half of Stamkos' points have come on the power play.

Lightning Coach Guy Boucher is impressed by Stamkos and thinks his high scoring forward has become even better this season. "He's a horse now," Boucher said. "He's not this wiry kid anymore. He's bigger, stronger, faster. … He's a beast."

If he keeps scoring at this level, another Rocket Richard Trophy is a distinct possibility.

Sabres GM Darcy Regier loves the chemistry between Vanek and his linemates, Cody Hodgson and Jason Pominville. "He and Jason have always had good chemistry," Regier says. "Now the chemistry is building among the three of them. If you have two guys with chemistry, it's great. If you have three, it's very unusual."

Vanek had 61 points in 78 games last year. He hasn't topped the point per game mark since 2006-07 but he'd love to top that mark again this year.